Case study · Alcoholic beverage

Three best-sellers,

one new reason to buy.

Long Road Distillers wanted to turn three of its top ready-to-drink cocktails into a variety pack retailers could carry. RCI designed and produced a custom 8-pack carton that let the brand test the idea first, then scale it, and created a branded riser for stores with no shelf space to spare.

Long Road Distillers wanted to turn three of its top ready-to-drink cocktails into a variety pack retailers could carry. RCI designed and produced a custom 8-pack carton that let the brand test the idea first, then scale it, and created a branded riser for stores with no shelf space to spare.

~9K

~9K

~9K

variety packs made and counting

variety packs made and counting

Midwest

Midwest

Midwest

retailer demand is increasing

retailer demand is increasing

Long Road Favorites Pack 8-can cartons stacked on a grocery store endcap
Long Road Favorites Pack 8-can cartons stacked on a grocery store endcap

01. Sound familiar?

Retailers were asking for a variety pack

Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers is one of the best-selling RTD cocktail brands in Michigan. Its core cocktails sold individually in single-flavor 4-packs. Retail chains and larger independent stores saw room for a bigger pack that let shoppers try several flavors at once.

Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers is one of the best-selling RTD cocktail brands in Michigan. Its core cocktails sold individually in single-flavor 4-packs. Retail chains and larger independent stores saw room for a bigger pack that let shoppers try several flavors at once.

›

Your products sell well on their own, but retailers want something new

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You want to test a new format before committing to a big run

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Your package has to work on shelf, in the cooler and on display

02. What made it tricky

More than a bigger box

The carton had to merchandise on the shelf, inside the cooler and on a floor display. It had to show clearly what was inside, keep three different products under one brand, and look established from the very first run.

The carton had to merchandise on the shelf, inside the cooler and on a floor display. It had to show clearly what was inside, keep three different products under one brand, and look established from the very first run.

03. What RCI did

A carton and a riser built for every spot in the store

We developed and produced a custom 8-pack folding carton featuring Polish Falcon, Lavender Lemonade and Rosemary Gin Fizz. Shoppers could discover three cocktails in one purchase instead of committing to a 4-pack of one flavor, and retailers got a larger pack for their RTD set. For retailers with no shelf space, we also created a plastic branded riser that holds stacked cases right on the floor, perfect for impulse purchases and for building brand-loyal shoppers. The first run doubled as a real-world test.

We developed and produced a custom 8-pack folding carton featuring Polish Falcon, Lavender Lemonade and Rosemary Gin Fizz. Shoppers could discover three cocktails in one purchase instead of committing to a 4-pack of one flavor, and retailers got a larger pack for their RTD set. For retailers with no shelf space, we also created a plastic branded riser that holds stacked cases right on the floor, perfect for impulse purchases and for building brand-loyal shoppers. The first run doubled as a real-world test.

01

Retail visibility

One package for shelves, coolers and floor displays.

02

Product discovery

Three cocktails in one easy-to-shop pack.

03

Scalable testing

Prove demand before committing to big volumes.

What we made

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Custom 8-pack folding carton

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Variety pack structure and graphics

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Plastic branded floor riser for stacked cases

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Repeat production runs

Three Long Road cans (Lavender Lemonade, The Polish Falcon, Rosemary Gin Fizz) beside the Favorites Pack 8-can carton
A shopper lifting the Long Road Favorites Pack carton from a cooler shelf
Long Road Favorites Pack carton and cans on a lakeside patio table beside an ice-filled cooler
Long Road Favorites Pack carton on a wooden table with rosemary, grapefruit, lemon and lavender
Close-up of a Long Road Rosemary Gin Fizz can on ice with rosemary and grapefruit
Close-up of the printed, glossy-coated Long Road Favorites Pack carton corner
Banded stack of black plastic Long Road case stackers on a warehouse floor
Shrink-wrapped Long Road Rosemary Gin Fizz cans in a kraft corrugated case tray
Stack of kraft corrugated case trays beside Long Road cans on the packaging line

04. What it did for the business

Traction that keeps the reorders coming

The variety pack gained enough traction at retail that Long Road keeps reordering, and it has continued to build momentum for the brand’s top three best-selling products. About 9,000 packs have been made and counting.

The variety pack gained enough traction at retail that Long Road keeps reordering, and it has continued to build momentum for the brand’s top three best-selling products. About 9,000 packs have been made and counting.

05. What it saved them

Tested the idea without a big bet

Right away

Long Road could launch the variety pack at retail without committing to large-scale production up front.

Long term

The carton is now a repeat order, so each new run builds on a proven design instead of starting over.

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